Fax Machine Buying Guide

What the best fax
machine has

Reliable performance. The most important job
for any fax machine is to send and receive faxes without errors or
interruptions.

Smooth paper handling. Features like
large-capacity paper trays and auto document feeders can be helpful for those
who frequently send long faxes, but for light users, the most important thing
is a smooth feed system that avoids paper jams.

Ease of use. A fax machine should
come with clear instructions, intuitive controls, and easy access to paper and
toner cartridges. You also have a right to expect decent technical support to
help you if you get stuck.

Know before you go

Do you even need a stand-alone fax? Many all-in-one printers (which
are covered in their own report) include the ability to send and receive faxes.
If you only need to transmit the occasional fax, this might be a better
solution because it saves valuable desk space. The main difference between
all-in-one printers and a dedicated fax machine with extra features is that all-in-one
printers usually excel at printing but are only so-so at faxing, while a fax
machine typically excels at receiving and sending faxes, but is only a so-so
printer, copier or scanner.

How much will you use the fax
machine? Fax machines with
a low initial cost often have higher costs for consumables, such as toner
cartridges, drums, thermal-transfer ribbons, and paper. Thus, for heavy fax
users, a machine with a higher up-front cost is probably the best long-term
value because of its lower per-page cost. For light users, by contrast, a
cheaper machine is usually the best value, because they'll use so little paper
and toner that those costs will be minimal.

Do you have a need for speed? Inexpensive fax machines, like the
Brother FAX-575, can
take around 15 seconds per page to send a fax. By contrast, pricier machines
with fast G3 modems, such as the Brother IntelliFax-2840, can send a fax in
three seconds or less. The more pages you send and receive at a time, the more
difference that extra speed will make.

How much memory do you want? Fax machines store incoming and
outgoing pages in their onboard memory. Some fax machines use that capacity to
perform multiple tasks at once, such as receiving one fax while preparing
another to be sent. They can also save an incoming fax if they're out of paper
and then print it once the paper tray is reloaded. The most basic models can
store around 25 pages in memory, while high-end fax machines can hold as many
as 500 pages. Memory backup is another plus; it will hold the saved pages in
memory should power temporarily go out.

Which features and extra functions do
you need? Many fax
machines include extra functions such as copying, scanning, and printing, which
can blur the distinctions between a fax machine and an all-in-one printer.
Desirable fax-centric features include caller ID, auto redial, speed dial, and
auto fax/telephone switching, which lets you use a fax machine and a phone on
the same line.

What's to come

The
dedicated fax machine is a dying breed. As all-in-one printers grow more
affordable and more competent at performing a variety of tasks, the market for
machines that are primarily designed to send and receive faxes is dwindling.
Only three manufacturers -- Brother, Canon, and Panasonic -- still offer
dedicated fax machines for the U.S. market, and all three of them together
produce fewer than 15 different models. Moreover, online fax services make it
possible to send and receive documents directly from your computer for anywhere
from free (for occasional use) to $30 a month (for heavy use). A Fortune magazine story from 2013 quotes Austin Allison, a tech CEO, as predicting
that fax machines will disappear from the market by 2023 as the business world
continues its shift "from physical to digital."

ConsumerSearch editors personally research every product category to recommend the best choices. Expert review sources are heavily weighted, but user reviews, especially those where durability or usability are a factor, are crucial to helping us finalize our top picks.

How to Support Our Work

Like most other product review sites, ConsumerSearch is supported by a combination of commissions on the sale of the products we recommend and ads that are placed on our site by Google. If you find something you like, you can help support us by clicking through and buying the products we pick. Our editorial process is independent and unbiased; we don’t accept product samples, requests for reviews or product mentions, or direct advertising.Learn More »

These listings are administered, sorted and maintained by Google. For
information about these Google ads, go to adwords.google.com.

Google may place or recognize a unique "cookie" on your Web browser.
Information from this cookie may be used by Google to help provide
advertisers with more targeted advertising opportunities. For more
information about Google's privacy policy, including how to opt out, go
to www.google.com/ads/preferences.

By clicking on Sponsored Links you will leave ConsumerSearch.com. The web site you will go to is not endorsed by ConsumerSearch.